23 May 2009

Regardless of what you may think of her, there is something to be said about a supermodel--whose entire career depends on her looks--happy to be pregnant a fourth time (which is 1.5 times more than the average American woman [and 4 times more than the average German]). Félicitations à vous, Heidi...

The Worst Nominee

In my first year of law school, a group of us drove from South Bend to Chicago to sit in on oral arguments in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals for the case NOW v. Scheidler. Afterwards, we had lunch with the defendants, Joe Scheidler and his legal team, during which we had revealing conversations about the plaintiff abortion clinics and the untruths they told while on the stand. Some months later, the panel of judges issued an opinion, authored by Judge Diane Wood--in the abortion clinics' favor.

On appeal to the Supreme Court, the decision was reversed 8-1. The Court had vacated the judgment of the district court, meaning essentially that the case was dead. Scheidler and the Pro-Life Action League were free and clear, and had not been found guilty of violating the Hobbs Act.

Any other lower court judge would have immediately implemented the judgment of the High Court--except for Judge Diane Wood. In an act of breathtaking arrogance, Judge Wood chose to ignore the Supreme Court's mandate, and instead issued an opinion questioning whether the injunction could still hold based on certain other "threats" or acts of "violence" (we learned from Mr. Scheidler that the so-called threat was his admonition to the abortion clinic staff to repent or suffer the risk of being eternally lost; and the acts of "violence" were flat-out lies made up by the plaintiffs to strengthen their case).

The case was appealed again to the Supreme Court, which this time unanimously reversed the decision. The Court sent a clear message to Judge Wood and the 7th Circuit panel by its last line: The judgment of the Court of Appeals is reversed, and the cases are remanded for entry of judgment for petitioners.

13 May 2009

One Falls, but 44,000 Are Still Standing

Borrowing a line from Fr. Farfaglia on the scandal involving Miami Beach priest Fr. Cutié, it's good to be reminded of the overwhelming majority of priests steadily faithful to their vow of celibacy and commitment to the priesthood.

Those priests in the limelight, who attract crowds and are popular and thus have wide audiences to which to disseminate the message of the gospel, should know they are the first target of the enemy; if Satan can make one of these fall, he will have won a sweet victory indeed. We see what happened to Fr. Francis Stone, and the resulting scandal. Is it a surprise that a Hispanic priest should succumb after years popularity on radio and TV?

The debate on optional celibacy that this event has reignited is no surprise, and is, of course, a red herring. I suggest Fr. Farfaglia's spot on article on this topic.